Last year my neighbour planted a lavender hedge for three good reasons: it looks great, the deer don’t munch it and nectaring insects love it. It’s grown up a treat and is always worth a long look as you walk past.
The more you look at wildlife the more its patterns get established in your brain – which means you are hyper-ware when something breaks the pattern. And something did. It was an insect, but it was moving all wrong for a bee, never alighting on a flower though clearly preoccupied with them.
So I looked closer – and there it was, a hummingbird hawkmoth, hovering with sublime skill in front of the flowers and drinking from them with a long proboscis. These are daytime moths that move and act like hummingbirds: same idea and same skills, but evolved along totally different routes.
A lovely thing too, with its pale orange wings and black-and-white fuselage: colours that always remind me of a hoopoe. They are strong fliers and tend to come up from southern Europe. Keep an eye open: this might be a good year for them. Here’s some more info and a moth in action:
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/invertebrates/moths/hummingbird-hawk-moth
Whetting tha appetite as In Norfolk next week
Good luck!
Thank you for your lovely description of the hummingbird hawk-moth. You’ve made my Sunday by introducing this gorgeous creature!
Thank you!
What a bizarrely beautiful thing. Looks like a Disney creation.
Another respodnent said they were like cartoon elephants
I’ve seen two already this summer here in Dorset. The second time it flew past me so closely I could hear its passage. Amazing. Don’t get many but they are always a delight.
Special things!
A hummingbird in Norfolk? Aye Simon you’re a tease right enough. I thought I had hit the jackpot when I watched a bee-eater land on the helideck of BP’s Buchan Alpha in the north North Sea but a hummingbird in Norfolk…….
Hi! In the same week my daughter, 15 miles away, myself and my son, in Brittany, all saw one of these.
Thank you for filling in all the gaps.
Can’t wait to tell them.
That’s very classy
Just seen my first hummingbird hawkmoth, also on a lavender hedge. Wouldn’t have know what I was looking at if I hadn’t read your blog. Thank you.
Very pleased — you’ve made my day
Pleased to read that you have seen the humming bird hawk moth as I remember a good few years ago that you had yet to see one. Here in Spain very common and fascinating. Serenaded every morning by another rarity for UK, the golden oriole. Otter next for you?
We had hummingbird hawk moths in the garden a few years ago and I really did have to do a double take they look so much like the bird. I will be keeping my eyes peeled this year for their return as I believe this long dry spell is ideal weather for them
Hello, Simon. I saw one of these in our Herefordshire garden two days ago; very exciting – and on the day I closely encountered a leveret for the first time in my eighty years. I think Lyn Sales mentioned that I’d like to to support my poem-a day marathon for Elizabeth’s Legacy of Hope by recording one or two of mine on your phone. Joanna Lumley, Griff Rhys Jones and Roger McGough have all contributed – so you’ll be in excellent company…
I think Lyn sent you Doctor Lake. I thought that might suit you. If not, let me know and I’ll send you some others to choose from. All best wishes.
Have enjoyed watching their rapid refuelling at my window, where soaring verbena bonariensis stems crisscross my summer long grass meadow view. To my mind they are mini flying cartoon elephants ;*}
Wonderful creatures to see in action. A little piece of pure magical enchantment. We have had them in our garden before but not this year yet. I’m keeping a keen eye out for them.
Marvellous! Is it my imagination or have I seen more flies, bees and butterflies this year? This year I saw my first marbled white butterfly on the scabious on my patio in 20 years.
Snap! A small one (youngster?) on my lavender. Standing off for longer than usual as if practicing its aim.
Excellent!
Thank you for producing these weekly articles Simon. Have spent the afternoon in the shade listening to the Audible version of ‘On the Marsh’ which is very relaxing
Very glad you’re enjoying it. Amazing to think that Eddie is now 21.